The alpine basin, which is in Ouray County and located in the Uncompahgre National Forest, is renowned for its display of wildflowers during the summer and for Twin Falls on Sneffels Creek.

Access is provided by a dirt road, which branches off the Camp Bird Road that runs from Ouray to Camp Bird Mine. The road starts a quarter mile south of Ouray and winds its way up the canyon, and it requires a four-wheel drive vehicle.

Several primitive campgrounds, which tend to be rarely visited, can be found along the way. In general, the area is fairly private.

In the San Juan region of the Rocky Mountains, Yankee Boy Basin is a good place to see wildlife, including deer, black bears, birds of prey and much more.

The basin also gives visitors access to the 14,150-foot-high Mount Sneffels and to Imogene Pass, the road into Telluride.